49ers Get Their Kicks Out of Defeat / Richey's two long field goals a boost in final exhibition

Ira Miller, Chronicle Staff Writer

Published 4:00 am, Saturday, August 29, 1998

1998-08-29 04:00:00 PDT Seattle -- The 49ers found their placekicker last night. They also settled any lingering questions about who will be their backup quarterback.

Rookie kicker Wade Richey, after just two days with the team, came up short on a field goal attempt at the end of the summer's final exhibition game, a 21-20 victory by the Seattle Seahawks over the 49ers.

And then his new teammates raced onto the field to embrace him.

"I haven't seen many teams go out and congratulate a guy after a missed field goal, but I saw it tonight," said Steve Mariucci, the 49ers' coach.

There was a good reason.

The kick Richey missed, a 62-yard attempt, fell only about seven yards short. Earlier, he made two second- half field goals in two attempts, from 45 and 53 yards, and he boomed all five of his kickoffs into the end zone, with four of the five going at least four yards past the goal line.

So much for the kicking problem. At least for now.

Veteran quarterback Ty Detmer, meanwhile, appeared to settle the backup job behind Steve Young, who did not play last night because Mariucci chose to play it safe with the real season a week away. Detmer and young Jim Druckenmiller split playing time; Detmer threw two second-quarter touchdown passes and, as was the case all summer, looked the more efficient and effective of the two.

Detmer, given four possessions, completed 11 of 21 passes for 156 yards.

His best play came shortly before halftime when he displayed the difference his mobility and veteran savvy make compared with Druckenmiller, who is not nearly as nimble or as experienced.

A Seattle pass-rusher broke through the middle of the line. Detmer bolted from the pocket and headed upfield, all the while keeping his eyes open. When he saw a linebacker leave running back Chuck Levy to come toward him, Detmer lofted a little pass to Levy at the sideline that turned into a 21- yard gain.

Afterward, Detmer said he wasn't even happy with the throw. He said he thought it would go out of bounds. The point was that it didn't, but Detmer still wouldn't claim victory in the battle for No. 2.

"I'm just trying to get ready," he said. "It's for the coach to decide. But I'm pleased with the way I finished preseason."

The coach is not saying yet. Mariucci maintained his standard line that both backup quarterbacks "did a nice job," and that he would decide next week who will back up Young.

Bet on Detmer. You'll get no argument from Druckenmiller.

Last night, Druckenmiller threw an interception that didn't count because the Seahawks were offsides, and he got another break when, under pressure, he lost the ball in the pocket. Officials, who could have ruled either a fumble or intentional grounding, instead called it an incomplete pass.

"I have not done the job I think I could have," said Druckenmiller, who led the 49ers to just one touchdown in five exhibition games -- that on a drive of only 50 yards -- even though he got more playing time than either of the 49ers' other quarterbacks. "I think I have not made the physical progress. Mentally, I think I'm OK."

Richey's long-ball performance was the clear highlight for the 49ers. All the questions about him before the game concerned accuracy, not distance, but he seemed to answer them after struggling with his accuracy in warm-ups. Although the pristine conditions in a dome helped, special teams coach George Stewart said Richey's high, booming kickoffs would have been good outdoors, also.

Seattle was forced to take two touchbacks and start its three other drives at the 19, 21 and 23-yard lines. But the kicking game in its entirety was not such a highlight because of a two-day-old injury to punter Tommy Thompson, which was not disclosed until after the game.

On Wednesday, after the 49ers released kicker John Becksvoort, they asked Thompson to practice kicking field goals. He pulled a groin muscle. Still, because he is the only punter on the roster, he had to punt last night, and his four kicks -- not counting a short punt from Seattle's half of the field late in the game -- averaged only 34 yards, with a long of 38.

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Thompson, whose best play was a 13-yard run for a first down when the blocking broke down on one punt attempt, required a painkilling injection before the game. He said he believed the injury would have plenty of time to heal before the opener against the Jets in eight days, and he got a vote of confidence from Stewart, who said he didn't believe Thompson's job was in jeopardy.

Seattle's winning touchdown followed Thompson's last punt, which pinned the Seahawks at their own 11-yard line with 1:54 remaining. They drove 89 yards in 10 plays, scoring with 25 seconds to go on a two-yard pass from John Friesz to Bobby Shaw, a rookie receiver from Cal.

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